This invention relates to a display apparatus, in particular but not exclusively for use in retail environments such as shops. The display apparatus of the invention may also be used e.g. in banks, hospitals, offices and indeed virtually anywhere that it is required to provide an attractive display of articles.
EP-A-0295869 discloses a display apparatus intended primarily for the displaying of laminar articles such as cards, leaflets, sheets, brochures and magazines. EP-A-0295869 further discloses a plurality of elongate channels suspended one below another, each channel being of generally J-shaped cross section for supporting articles in the trough thereby formed.
Each J-shaped trough has a longer arm and a shorter arm. The apparatus includes a support for supporting each lower J-shaped channel on the next higher J-shaped channel. The support includes a hook, which is provided on the longer arm of each lower J-shaped channel and which hooks over the shorter arm of the next higher J-shaped channel whereby each lower J-shaped channel is suspended from the shorter, forward arm of the next higher J-shaped channel so as to provide a suspended tiered display.
The apparatus of EP-A-0295869 may be readily dismantled for transportation, storage and replacement.
Nonetheless, the apparatus of EP-A-0295869 suffers numerous drawbacks.
Primary amongst the drawbacks is the fact that each lower J-shaped channel is suspended from the shorter arm (i.e. the front arm) of the upwardly adjacent J-shaped channel. This means that, in order to provide a visually attractive display, all the J-shaped channels must have longer and shorter arms of the same respective lengths.
Also, the formation of the upper end of the longer arm of each J-shaped channel as a hook, that hooks over the shorter arm of the next upwardly adjacent J-shaped channel, means that some of the space, between the shorter and longer arms defining the trough for displaying articles, is occupied by the material of the hook. This limits the available distance between the front and rear arms, and hence the quantity of articles that can be displayed in the apparatus of EP-A-0295869. This is important when the articles displayed are, e.g. greetings cards.
Another disadvantage of the apparatus of EP-A-0295869 is that the longer wall of each lower J-shaped channel overlies the shorter wall of the next, upwardly adjacent channel. This means that the overlapping faces of the longer and shorter arms must be free of protuberances, otherwise the hook defined at the upper end of each longer arm cannot be successfully hung from the adjacent shorter arm.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus having upper and lower modules with mutually engageable connector parts proximate the base and top, respectively, for releasably securing the base of the upper module to the top of the lower module.
This apparatus enjoys numerous advantages over the apparatus EP-A-0295869.
The locating of mutually engagable connector parts respectively at the base portion of an upper module and at an upper part of a lower module means that it is not necessary to provide a hook for hooking the lower module onto the front wall of the upper module. In turn this means that the upper edge of each front wall of each module is free. This in turn means that at least the front wall of the apparatus may be decorated, e.g., by means of the addition embellishments, or by virtue of having a non-rectilinear upper edge.
The apparatus of the invention remains readily dismantleable and reassemblable. The absence of any attachment involving the front wall of the receptacle means that the front wall at least may be made to any height to suit the application under consideration. This in turn provides the option of having differently sized modules within a single display, without any detrimental effect on the overall visual attractiveness of the display.
In preferred embodiments of the invention a lower part of the rear wall of each channel is provided by the rear wall of the lower module, and an upper part of the rear wall of each receptacle is provided by the front wall of an upper module. This advantageously permits two parts of the rear wall of the receptacle to be, e.g., of different colours. This may be desirable in producing an attractive appearance even when the display apparatus is empty.
Further, advantageous features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.
The specification defines features that permit the connecting together, in a tiered display, of more than two of the modules of the apparatus.
The specification defines the boundary between the rear wall of a lower module and the front wall of the next upwardly adjacent module. The use of a substantially contiguous boundary advantageously provides a neat, attractive appearance to the display apparatus.
Optionally, the said substantially contiguous boundary is non-rectilinear. This feature may be used to produce attractive visual effects, e.g. when the rear wall of the lower module is a different colour than the front wall of the upper adjacent module.
Preferably the rear wall of each lower module is generally parallel to the front wall of the upwardly adjoining module when the modules are connected together. This allows the apparatus conveniently to display flat laminar items such as greetings cards.
In an alternative arrangement, the rear wall of a lower module is not parallel to the front wall of the next upwardly adjoining module. This may be of benefit when displaying curved items.
In preferred embodiments, the upstanding walls of each module are of generally equal heights. This allows the manufacture of a standard module size, that may be used to build up a tiered display of virtually any preferred depth.
In the alternative, the apparatus may include a module whose upstanding walls are of unequal heights.
Obviously, a display apparatus may if desired may include both modules having walls of equal heights; and modules having walls of unequal heights, as required.
Conveniently at least the front wall of a said module may include ornamental features. An example of such an ornamental feature is that of a non-rectilinear free edge to the front wall of a module. Thus, for example, the said upper edge may include cut-outs or recesses to define a preferred image or pattern.
Another possibility is for the said front wall to include, e.g., embossments and/or recesses, to enhance the appearance of the display or for other purposes as disclosed hereinbelow.
The specification defines an advantageously simple means for connecting the upper portion of a lower module to the base portion of an upper module of the apparatus. It is inherent in the arrangement of the invention that the front wall of a said module need not be parallel to the rear wall of the module below, since the angle of the front wall does not determine the angle at which the rear wall is supported.
The specification defines further means for connecting the upper portion of a lower module to the base portion of an upper module.
The specification defines a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, in which a base wall spaces the front and rear walls of the module. This allows the said walls to lie parallel to one another. Such an arrangement is highly suitable for displaying greetings cards and other laminar items.
The specification defines a further feature that advantageously assists in the display of thin, laminar items such as greetings cards.
The specification defines an elongate channel that permits the slidable retention in at least one of the modules of the apparatus of a movable divider for subdividing the interior of a said receptacle.
In preferred embodiments the channel for receiving the divider extends longitudinally from one end of the apparatus to the other parallel to the base portion of its associated module, although other shapes and positions for the channel are possible. The arrangement of the invention advantageously permits the presence of the channel, for receiving the divider, as a depression in the surface of a wall that results in a protuberance on the other side of the wall. This is because, in contrast with EP-A-0295869, there are no overlapping walls in the apparatus of the invention.
The specification defines convenient means by which the apparatus may be assembled and suspended.
The specification defines an arrangement by means of which the orientation of the apparatus, relative to a fixed surface such as a wall, may readily be adjusted. This improves the versatility of the apparatus.
The specification defines a further arrangement which the orientation of the 20 apparatus, relative to a fixed surface such as a wall, may readily be adjusted.
The specification defines another form of divider. Use of this divider is facilitated by the fact that the upper edge of each upstanding wall is free. Therefore the U-shaped portion of the divider can be a comparatively slim component. Assuming that the two upstanding walls are each of the same thickness, the U-shaped portion may be slidingly fitted over either of them. The divider may readily be removed from the apparatus, rotated through 180xc2x0 and replaced. Thus the divider may project either forwardly or rearwardly relative to one of the upstanding walls, as required.
This apparatus is advantageously position-adjustable relative to a surface such as a wall, thereby being of greater versatility than the prior art arrangements.